Ok, I'm the new guy here - and brand spanking new to aikido after several years studying chinese kenpo, so take anything I say with internet scepticism...

My expereince in "street fighting" is from bouncing in a biker bar (when younger and more foolish) and working in a locked facility for violent youth offenders - and doesn't come from military combat.

But, it seems to me, in my humble expereince, "real" combat fights are very different than anything one might train for in a dojo, studio, or gym...and while technique is important - INTENT is most important.

Folks can argue styles and Boxing vs. Southern Shaolin and Wing Chun vs. White Crane and Kenpo vs. Kempo vs. Chaun Fa - but when the lights go out (or get especially bright from a sucker punch) anything that isn't deeply and instinctively trained is gone.

Or useless.

Intent, however, is always there. As are principles.

Techniques are simply an outward expression (or manifestation) of physical presence - but that presence is defined by inward understanding.

Practical application is simply what one does in response to a situation - and that response is dictated by mind, not technique.

All styles are useful, and yet all are useless without proper principle.

Does that make any sense to you expereinced aikidokas?

As a mentor once told me, "If you really want to take out a kicker, fight him in a phone booth. If he's a puncher, fight him on a football field. If he's a pistolero, stand off 500 yards with Barret"